Relieved from teaching

Thank goodness this week there’s Good Friday – it makes the week so much shorter! Okay, true it’s only one day but it makes a whole damn lot of difference when you’re working. Now I know why the deejays on the radio stations constantly cheer people on using the lure of the weekends. I can SO identify. Relief teaching is almost like a sales job because you have to be perpetually up and about, for me at least since I feel that’s the most effective way to maintain order within a class – this is especially so for the lower secondary classes, they have a tremendous amount of energy!

Tuesday: I took a class for PE again today! I heard from my cousin apparently, this is one of the naughtier classes. Luckily they didn’t give me a hard time, it was okay. One student skipped his class and came over to mine to have PE, and so I thought he was in my class. After that, when he went back to his class, I demanded what he was doing in that class when realisation hit me that he had skipped his lessons. I was seething inside but I had to maintain composure, so I merely stared at him really hard. I think he got scared.

After that, I took another class in which they were so noisy I had to shout. Poor throat/trachea/windpipe – it really hurts. But I took pride in the fact I could actually produce enough noise above them all, sufficient for them to hear me. They did the “WOAAAAAH” thingy when they heard I was really mad – shiok eh! But of course, on the surface I still looked friggin’ pissed. I think teachers have got to be one of the most versatile schizophrenic creatures around.

I also took a lower secondary class in which there’s this really naughty boy whose actually instills fear in his friends, so much so they shy away from him when he walks past. Imagine, that kinda power that you have, it’s no wonder he continues acting like he’s a big boss. But somehow, I’m able to get through to him so he was busy telling his ‘stories’ – during a test, if I might add -.- No, I didn’t distract him, he simply refused to take the test and he rather talk to me. But still, it’s better than if he had started walking around the class and disturbing the rest of his classmates.

After inflicting soreness on my throat and through all my joints from all that raising of voice and standing respectively, I had to head over to my cousin’s house to give tuition. I was early today so as I laid on the couch waiting for her, I promptly fell asleep. I’m getting so good at sleeping on anything comfy, don’t care where the heck it is. Hungry, anything also eat = Tired, anywhere also sleep! Such a true mantra! My cousin passed me this set of notebooks which my aunt and herself got for me – it’s so sweet of them! It’s my belated birthday gift, and I really appreciate it =)

Oh, and I met Chun Hong today. He coincidentally went back to school. He never changes, that fella. But he’s a really nice guy, no doubt about that. I never realised that Rachel and him were such good friends. So is she with Julian and Jason. Man, after two years, I’m starting to see all my seniors again – quite a good feeling. It’s nice gazing upon those familiar faces and the flickers of recognition, along with exchanges of ‘How are you’.

Wednesday: My day began super slack today! I was supposed to take this class to computer lab for two periods but due to the unavailability of one of the labs, I combined my class with Mrs. Chen’s and so she was able to supervise all of them, her class and mine. I merely sat down to read book. After the second period, I grew so bored and so cold, and since Mrs. Chen didn’t need me there, I went about passing time on my own.

Oh, after that, I helped Atikah with her lower secondary class. And guess what! The both of us saw this awesomely cute little boy double up in laughter at a very lame thing his friend did, and we were both doubly in awe of his adorableness. Haha, I swear he is so round with all his baby fat, and so small, then he has this shortly cropped hair and this spects, his gestures so animated… – aiyah, JUST SUPER CUTE la. Getit!!!

My classes were supposed to end at the second last period but I stayed to help Atikah with her last period class since she would actually be taking over from me. We brought them to the computer lab and there, most of them just played games like nobody’s business. Not that the two of us really minded, since we knew we would have loved that when we were students ourselves not too long ago – only we didn’t have the good luck of receiving the chance for a relief teacher to bring us to the computer lab back in those days man. Speaking of those days, Leonard sent me this picture of myself in those days a long time back. I know Atikah will scream "NERDDDD!!!"

And almost every other day, I’m amazed at how many sibling or relative connections there are in the school. Seriously man, so many classes I have taken have at least one student whose have had a kin who has walked through the gates of the school. Awesome, I LIKE. Because I’m one such person too =D

And yes, today I got to talk to a new relief teacher from VJ who just came out from the army and is now waiting of his entry into university; which makes him two years older. Pleasant guy – YAY one more to add to our team of really young relief teachers. OH YES, speaking of which, today I talked to my junior whose also a relief teacher, the one I think is very cute! Haha, he really is. I reaffirm it everytime I talk to him. But of course, my thoughts just stop there okay.

And I’m getting Atikah to teach me Malay, since there’s quite a large proportion of them in the school. I’ve actually mastered the Malay slang, you know the way in which they slur when they speak, ya ya ya, that one. Not bad eh? So now I must learn to fit in the words properly. And being here has taught me to open my eyes to the good looking-ness of Malay guys. Not that I was absolutely blind to them before, but since I didn’t have much Malay friends to begin with in lower secondary, it didn’t come naturally. Now, it does! Haha…

Sian, this week might be slack but next week I’m gonna have to take over another relief teacher’s classes which means my voice will be in jeopardy! Nevermind, enjoy this week first. I’m gonna meet Brian for dinner on Friday! XD Score another for my social life! Woo hoo~!

PS: The STB people just called me to go back for the second round of interviews, which is this full day exercise on Thursday - meaning I got to suffer the whole day PLUS I don't get to go back to teach. SIANNNNNNNNN.